Cooling issue
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Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 63
Likes: 2
From: SE Florida
I think you are wasting your time and money. A shrouds' only function is to duct the air up to an engine driven fan. You don't have one!
I don't mean to blow my own horn but solving Corvette cooling issues is all I have done for the last twenty years. Nobody can match the number of clients I have worked with on this issue. Why someone would consult a carpenter, truck driver, and school teacher about a surgical procedure is a mystery to me.
Q: Did anyone ever confirm your gauge reading with an IR gun?
Many replacement temperature sending units are not correct and read much higher than the actual temperature. Many times people claim they are running hot when they are not because they assumed the gauge was correct. Most of them do not find this out until they spent a whole bunch of money trying to solve a problem they don't have.
I don't mean to blow my own horn but solving Corvette cooling issues is all I have done for the last twenty years. Nobody can match the number of clients I have worked with on this issue. Why someone would consult a carpenter, truck driver, and school teacher about a surgical procedure is a mystery to me.
Q: Did anyone ever confirm your gauge reading with an IR gun?
Many replacement temperature sending units are not correct and read much higher than the actual temperature. Many times people claim they are running hot when they are not because they assumed the gauge was correct. Most of them do not find this out until they spent a whole bunch of money trying to solve a problem they don't have.
What I ordered is nothing more than a piece of aluminum with the cutouts for fans. The owner comes by tomorrow so I’m going to talk to him about the temp gauge. I don’t know if they have the ir gun.
I appreciate your knowledge and help with this issue. It has been extremely frustrating and I appreciate your time. I was waiting for some invoices before I called your guy but I may call tomorrow anyway
your continued feedback is appreciated. Thank you.
I appreciate your knowledge and help with this issue. It has been extremely frustrating and I appreciate your time. I was waiting for some invoices before I called your guy but I may call tomorrow anyway
your continued feedback is appreciated. Thank you.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 6,713
Likes: 1,372
What I ordered is nothing more than a piece of aluminum with the cutouts for fans. The owner comes by tomorrow so I’m going to talk to him about the temp gauge. I don’t know if they have the ir gun.
I appreciate your knowledge and help with this issue. It has been extremely frustrating and I appreciate your time. I was waiting for some invoices before I called your guy but I may call tomorrow anyway
your continued feedback is appreciated. Thank you.
I appreciate your knowledge and help with this issue. It has been extremely frustrating and I appreciate your time. I was waiting for some invoices before I called your guy but I may call tomorrow anyway
your continued feedback is appreciated. Thank you.
https://www.harborfreight.com/catalo...rared+temp+gun
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Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 10,039
Likes: 670
From: FL
Hello folks
i called March and with the help of Price he confirmed they sent the reverse rotation water pump with my kit parts. I told him about the overheating and he suggested thermostat much lower like 160 which several of you have mentioned and might check whether the water is moving too fast. He said to look for Morosso resistors to slow it down. I think I saw this comment elsewhere. So waiting on parts and ready to ride.
i called March and with the help of Price he confirmed they sent the reverse rotation water pump with my kit parts. I told him about the overheating and he suggested thermostat much lower like 160 which several of you have mentioned and might check whether the water is moving too fast. He said to look for Morosso resistors to slow it down. I think I saw this comment elsewhere. So waiting on parts and ready to ride.
Something you have never mentioned is how you are controlling your fans. When I ran my dual Spal fans (with their own shroud) and a carbureted engine, I used a 195 on/185 off switch with a 180 stat. Now, with EFI, my computer controls the fans with a 195 on, 190 off setting. Works for me.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,990
Likes: 183
From: Port St. Lucie Fl
Simplified terms;
The engine is creating too much heat for the cooling system.
I.E., Retarded timing, too lean, improper lubrication. (Friction).
The cooling system cannot handle the heat generated. I.E.,
Wrong pump, stat, fan, radiator,coolant,blockage, etc.
It CAN be both, but usually one or the other. 3 miles is is too quick. 200* is expected with that stat. 235* is the cusp of damage.
If I lived close, I'd shoot over and find it in a day.
The engine is creating too much heat for the cooling system.
I.E., Retarded timing, too lean, improper lubrication. (Friction).
The cooling system cannot handle the heat generated. I.E.,
Wrong pump, stat, fan, radiator,coolant,blockage, etc.
It CAN be both, but usually one or the other. 3 miles is is too quick. 200* is expected with that stat. 235* is the cusp of damage.
If I lived close, I'd shoot over and find it in a day.
Im close by and offered to take a look at it.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,361
Likes: 400
From: DFW TX
Those little fans just aren't going to cut it. Put a 160-185 thermostat in it, seal up the areas around the radiator to force the air through the radiator and put a Taurus, Mark VIII or Intrepid dual fan setup on it. 3500-4000 CFM will cure the problem in no time.
I had similar problems with a SBC S-10 Blazer I had in the past. I tried all sorts of aftermarket fans, ebay ones (they looked exactly like the Penelope's photos), SPAL 16", SPAL 16" with cookie sheet shroud etc... and nothing worked. There just isn't much volume under the hood and that hinders flow. I ended up putting a '92 Ford Taurus fan on it with a cheap Autozone fan controller w/ a couple 30A relays and installed a 160 T-stat. After that she never went above 190°, even in the Texas heat. She spent most of her time in the 160°-180° range. When that fan turned on it would kick up dirt/dust on the ground and would cool it back down in about 30-40 seconds and turn back off.
I had similar problems with a SBC S-10 Blazer I had in the past. I tried all sorts of aftermarket fans, ebay ones (they looked exactly like the Penelope's photos), SPAL 16", SPAL 16" with cookie sheet shroud etc... and nothing worked. There just isn't much volume under the hood and that hinders flow. I ended up putting a '92 Ford Taurus fan on it with a cheap Autozone fan controller w/ a couple 30A relays and installed a 160 T-stat. After that she never went above 190°, even in the Texas heat. She spent most of her time in the 160°-180° range. When that fan turned on it would kick up dirt/dust on the ground and would cool it back down in about 30-40 seconds and turn back off.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 6,713
Likes: 1,372
Just to avoid future misinformation. I believe you meant REVERSE ROTATION (not reverse flow) in your post below. That is what she is supposed to have.
Couple of more thoughts.
1) Took a look at your photos. Visually, the water pump looks like the Edelbrock reverse flow for small block chevy.
2) Most aftermarket serpentine systems are setup with a “performance” ratio that actually slows down the water pump to reduce horsepower loss. I have March serpentine on my big block and had to get a larger crank pulley to speed up the water pump. That, in conjunction with the big spoiler helped cure low speed cooling for my 496 big block.
3) The seals are absolutely critical to getting all the air to flow through your radiator.
1) Took a look at your photos. Visually, the water pump looks like the Edelbrock reverse flow for small block chevy.
2) Most aftermarket serpentine systems are setup with a “performance” ratio that actually slows down the water pump to reduce horsepower loss. I have March serpentine on my big block and had to get a larger crank pulley to speed up the water pump. That, in conjunction with the big spoiler helped cure low speed cooling for my 496 big block.
3) The seals are absolutely critical to getting all the air to flow through your radiator.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,336
Likes: 2,809
From: Cool Northern Michigan
Its not the rotation direction that matters here, but rather which way the "impeller blades" inside are designed to spin. That's why the serpentine system has to have a reverse pump.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,688
Likes: 41
From: Palm Harbor, Florida
Yeah, I'm a little confused, besides the good point that you made on the impeller blades. Isn't the radiator designed to have water flowing in a specific direction for optimal cooling?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 19,347
Likes: 654
From: Tampa, Florida
Reverse rotation: Pump spins opposite direction but the vanes are opposite. Like multiplying 2 negative numbers. -1 X -2 = +2 Flow is still in same direction through the block and heads
Reverse flow: Flow is backwards through the heads and block.
An old fashioned V belt everything spins clockwise (from front of engine). Multiple belts are used to spin parts on opposite sides of the engine. Everything spins clockwise.
A serpentine belt weaves through the components. Due to this design there's a sacrificial lamb....the water pump. It spins counterclockwise. This would normaly pump water the wrong way but Chevy flipped the vanes so water flows in the same direction.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 10,039
Likes: 670
From: FL
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,716
Likes: 121
From: Sulphur LA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06,'11,'13-'14,'16,'18,'19,'24, '25
It is always ideal to have the correct pump for the application but I would not get to caught up in the pump being the issue here based on the rotation unless its a stage 3 or 4 Stewart pump. I don't know of anyone else making pumps with directional impellers (not the flat stamped ones) for automotive engines, there may be some I just don't know of them.
Neal
Last edited by chevymans 77; Jan 22, 2019 at 05:03 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,716
Likes: 121
From: Sulphur LA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06,'11,'13-'14,'16,'18,'19,'24, '25
Mrs Penelope is being given great ideas and help from all and being sent in many different directions.
Tom has offered his help and hopefully she will give them a call,
Pleas update this thread when you get it worked out so we will know what the issue was.
Neal
Tom has offered his help and hopefully she will give them a call,
Pleas update this thread when you get it worked out so we will know what the issue was.
Neal
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 875
Likes: 289
From: LaFayette Georgia
C3 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
St. Jude Donor '19
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 5,339
Likes: 546
From: Central Texas
Originally Posted by Penelopegirl
I thought all you guys deserved to meet my Penelope. This was when I brought her home with new American Racing wheels and new tires. You know girls love new shoes.
Dianne
The ghost flames are nice. Sidepipes really makes it look bad ***!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,837
Likes: 1,028
As for buying the De Witts, go ahead while on sale. It "may" not solve your immediate issue, but considering where you live and that crappy fan mounting, its going to be a vast improvement no matter what.